Page 12 - AfrElec Week 25 2021

AfrElec NEWS IN BRIEF AfrElec

$5mn from EDFI ElectriFI (the Electrification ministry said in a press release. 100MW into the grid,” he said.
Financing Initiative funded by the European Residential electricity bills are going up by Minister Soda said the country was
Union), and a commitment of $10mn from as much as 26% at the start of the new fiscal currently importing between 50MW and
the U.S. International Development Finance year (FY) 2021/2022. 350MW depending on generation capacity
Corporation (DFC). The government had originally planned but the imports were currently not consistent
This complements the commercial equity to fully eliminate subsidies by July 2022, but owing to generation constraints at regional
supplied by Nithio Holdings. Combined, decided last summer to push the date to the utilities Hidroeléctrica de Cahora Bassa of
these investments will enable Nithio FI to same month in 2025. Mozambique and Eskom of South Africa.
demonstrate the data-driven model, lend Electricity Minister Mohamed Shaker “Eskom indicated they would not be able
to operators in key markets, and unlock previously said his ministry wants to avoid to export power outside firm contracts during
additional capital. By end of 2021, Nithio FI putting too much pressure on household winter as they also face huge demand so we
aims to raise an additional $25mn. consumers. only get 50MW from there.
Additionally, Nithio Holdings also “While the imports have gone down, we
recently raised more than $7mn to scale its are still able to supply power to the nation.
operations and data analytics. The round was The current load shedding being experienced
led by TPG’s The Rise Fund in partnership RETAIL is because we are facing electricity shortages
with Kupanda Capital, joined by Emerson as a result to low level generation capability at
Collective and Powerhouse Ventures. Zimbabwe set to get Hwange Units 1 to 6,” said Minister Soda.
Speaking on the announcement, Mark
Napier, CEO, FSD Africa, stated “Investing adequate power supplies
in sustainable and efficient sources of
power will be essential to building a Ongoing thermal and renewable power SOL AR
greener, more inclusive future for African projects in Zimbabwe are expected to add 150
economies. Through this investment, we MW to the national grid by the end of the Togo inaugurates largest
hope to contribute towards tackling both the year, ensuring adequate power supply in the
continent’s climate challenge and the power country. solar plant in West Africa
gap which still leaves many behind. The falling Energy and Power Development Minister
cost of renewable energy technologies means Zhemu Soda yesterday said about 11 power Togo has launched the largest solar plant in
that our investment in Nithio will enable projects would come on board this year. West Africa, some 250 km north of capital city
clean electricity to be provided in a way that These included the joint venture coal- Lomé.
is accessible across the continent, while also fired power station being built in Hwange Located in central Togo, the 50-MW
scaling up efforts to meet Africa’s sustainable by Chinese investors and their Zimbabwean facility will provide power to more than
development goals.” partners under Zimbabwe Zhongxin 158,000 households and save more than 1mn
FSD AFRICA Electrical Energy Limited (ZZEE). tonnes of CO2 emissions.
It is expected to begin feeding 25MW into The plant was built by AMEA Togo Solar, a
the national grid by September while the subsidiary of Dubai-based AMEA Power.
TARIFFS remaining 25MW would be ceded in October. It was named after the crown prince of
The company was given a licence to be one Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed,
Egyptian electricity prices of the many independent power producers in the project received more than 35 billion
2019.
CFA francs ($63.7mn) in loans from the West
to rise in July include new projects and existing ones that African Development Bank and the Abu
“The other ten renewable power projects
Dhabi Fund for Development.
The Ministry of Electricity revealed the new will be feeding more into the grid. We had “The Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed 50
increases in electricity prices, effective July some projects that were phased and these will megawatt-peak power plant in Blitta is
1st, ahead with the country’s plan to gradually add more electricity to the grid as per their the largest solar photovoltaic plant in the
phase out electricity subsidies by 2025, the plan. The expectation is that all these will feed sub-region, using solar tracker technology,

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